This week sees the release of Iron Man 3 (keep an eye for our review on Wednesday!), and while it feels like it's the first of the year's slew of comic book movie movies, it's actually the THIRD. This February saw the release of Sly Stallone in Bullet To The Head, which was based on a French graphic novel, while Tom Cruise's sci-fi epic Oblivion is an adaptation of a comic book that was released online earlier this year. The following is a preview of the rest of the comic book or graphic novel adaptations right up until the end of 2013. Which one(s) are you most looking forward to seeing? Tell us in the comments box.

Man Of Steel
Release: June 14th
Well, this is obviously the big one of the summer. From the director of 300 and Watchmen, and produced by the maker of The Dark Knight Trilogy, this movie seems to be in good hands. Ridiculously handsome Henry Cavill plays the alien who falls to Earth, and an all-star cast surrounding him will ensure that the drama will play just as good as the eye-scorching action.

Kick Ass 2
Release: July 19th
Original director stepped down to make The Secret Service (another graphic novel adaptation, due next year), so in his place is the director of Never Back Down and Cry Wolf, which doesn't entice too much excitement. What does, however, is the return of all of the original surviving cast, as well as Jim Carrey in his first comic book movie since Batman Forever. This time he plays Colonel Stars & Stripes, an unhinged superhero. Expect swearing and obscene violence.

The Wolverine
Release: July 26th
Let's be honest, X-Men Origins: Wolverine was pretty awful. But Hugh Jackman is still the perfect embodiment of our favourite hairy antihero, and this time he's off to Japan in an adaptation of one of Wolvie's most beloved story arcs. Set after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, Logan is in the Far East still searching for clues about his mysterious past, but he gets caught up in a super-powered samurai feud. Could do the underdog (wolf?) of the season.

 

300: Rise Of An Empire
Release: August 2nd
A prequel to the 2006 hit, Rise Of An Empire is based on the graphic novel Xerxes, and tells the story of the supposed God who was the big bad guy in the original movie. Played again by Rodrigo Santoro, this time round he's fighting the Greeks, and there's a love interest played by Bond Girl Eva Green. Director of the original is off now doing Man Of Steel, so in his place we have the director of tiny indie dramedy Smart People. An interesting choice, let's hope it pays off.

RED 2
Release: August 2nd
Not based on a graphic novel exactly, but a sequel to a movie that was, so it semi-counts on this list. The original surviving cast are now joined by Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta Jones in European set spy caper. RED was a fast and fun movie that was everything The Expendables wanted to be, and the sequel is directed by the guy who brought us the insanely underrated Galaxy Quest.

R.I.P.D.
Release: August 30th
Anyone who's seen the trailer will know that this basically looks like Men In Black, but with ghosts instead of aliens. But Men In Black was kind of awesome, so that's not a bad thing, right? Based on a graphic novel by the guy who wrote Demolition Man, here we have the overtly charming Ryan Reynolds teaming up with Jeff Bridges, who from the trailer looks like he's having a GREAT time. Has all of the ingredients to end up being one of the most purely fun movies of the summer.

Sin City: A Dame To Kill For
Release: October 4th
A lot of the original cast have returned, some have been recast (Josh Brolin/Clive Owen, Jamie Chung/Devon Aoki), and some are brand new to the series (Joseph Gordon Levitt, Eva Green, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven), with the stories apparently taking place before AND after the original movie. But they all have to do with the titular dame, Ava Lord, played by Eva Green – a role sought after by the likes of Angelina Jolie and Rachel Weisz – and her murderous ways.

Thor: The Dark World
Release: October 30th
The other-worldly levels of beautiful people – Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman – return to the sequel of the thunderous smash-hit. New director Alan Taylor (the man behind some of the better episodes of Game Of Thrones) brings with him new bad guys The Dark Elves, led by former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston. But we all know we're watching to see Thor banter with his upstart little brother Loki, once again played by the unequalled Tom Hiddleston.